Fresh jitters for Balaiah

In a significant development with political implications, the government has launched an inquiry against the police officers who had investigated the case pertaining to the shootout at the house of actor Balakrishna four years ago. Cases had been filed against Balakrishna, his wife Vasundhara and driver Kankanaiah by the Central Crime Station, here, but all the accused had been acquitted by the court.

The government has instructed the Commissioner of Inquiries to figure ou twhether the police officers were lax in their investigation of the case and whether it resulted in filing a ’weak chargesheet’ against the actor.

Specifically the role of the investigating officer, assistant commissioner Chandramouli and two of his sub inspectors will be looked into. The instructions come close on the heels of Balakrishna joining active politics last fortnight and after he has positioned as the star campaigner for the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) at the Yuva Garjana of the party at Guntur.

It is believed that the Commissioner of Inquiries — Chandana Khan — has already begun her work and called for witnesses in the case to find out what happened on that fateful night in June 2004 in which two film personalities Bellamkonda Suresh and Satyanarayana Chowdary were allegedly shot at by Balakrishna at his Jubilee Hills residence.

Following a statement by the duo, Balakrishna was arrested by the police under section 307 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC and section 25 and 27 of the Arms Act. Later his wife Vasundhara was booked for concealing evidence and driver Kankaiah for destroying evidence.

But in a dramatic turnaround, the two victims changed their statements later and said that though they were shot at and injured, they were not sure who had fired at them. This in the ultimate analysis had helped the accused go scot free.

The Commissioner of Inquiries has to specifically find out the circumstances under which the police officers allowed this change of statement and whether they challenged this in the court of law.

The Commissioner of Inquiries will not find her job easy and her first notice has already been ignored by the witnesses who were called to testify.

Analysts say that if Chandana Khan finds lapses in the police investigations, this will come in handy for the government to reopen the case and launch a fresh investigation. The government is also planning to go to the High court to appeal against the judgment of the sessions court acquitting the accused.

High level TDP sources when quizzed by TOI about their reaction to the happenings put up a brave front and said that there was nothing to worry. But sources say that this was only a public posture and privately the party bosses are quite worried about what may happen if the case is reopened.